Wouldn't a Justice League movie rock?

Question

Let's face it, sooner or later there's gonna be an Aquaman movie, or a Green Lantern movie, or a Flash movie... Movies we don't want or need. But imagine all of them together in film (and add Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter and Black Canary). Get a good director (like Bryan Singer). And considering Warner's has the rights to all the DC characters, it would be perfectly possible. Just how mouthwatering is that?

Answer 1

It *could* rock, mind you, but....

If it is going to happen at all, and be watchable, it needs to be a LOT more like _Batman Begins_ than _Superman Returns_.

Or more to the point, it needs to be more like the *first* films from the Marvel side of the fence. Yes, you need to take the characters seriously, but at the same time, recognize that *any* film with superheroes in it is *by definition* going to be an *Action Film*. Meaning it isn't enough to just introduce the characters as such....you need to also have them *do their thing* in the same movie. Meaning:

--you start a Justice League movie in the manner Brad Metzler started his run on the _Justice League_ comic. You explain outright that there are some jobs, some problems that *even Superman* cannot solve by himself. Some problems are just too big, complicated, or flat-out nasty for *any One hero* to fix by him or herself. This goes a ways toward explaining why the relatively *godlike* iconic heroes of the DC Universe would *need to* team up.

--You touch on the team in play for *this particular movie*. Emphasize that this team is there for *this particular crisis*. You give people a chance to identify who their characters are, *within the context* of the team. Batman is the Brains of the bunch, as well as the touchstone for *ordinary people* since he has no powers. Superman is the Rock of Ages, the go-to-guy when lives need to be saved. Wonder Woman is the Amazon: equal parts warrior, scholar, and diplomat, as capable of talking an adversary down from a fight as she is of kicking his tail.

Keep it simple, in other words. True to the characters, but simple enough so that you can introduce about *ten* characters and have that only take up one-third of a 2-hour movie.

As for who they should be? Well, half of them *have to* be characters that people automatically associate with the *name* "Justice League: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern.

And the other half should be there *for a purpose* in terms of the threat to the world. Don't have Aquaman around unless the oceans or ecosystem of the planet is in danger. Having more Vigilantes like Green Arrow or Black Canary is useful, but *only* if the film is dealing with a cerebral, more gritty sort of threat (think _Kill Bill_ on a global scale....Luthor, Vandal Savage *and* Brainiac conspiring to take over the world, Mafia-style). It wouldn't make sense to have them doing *space opera* style threats. Keep it an organic part of the storytelling, in other words.

--As for threats....keep it *huge* whatever you do. At least *one whole world* should be in danger. Period. Anything less is a Job For Superman, by himself, so to speak.

--Likewise, keep it *real*. The League should, early on, get its tail soundly *kicked* by the enemy. Make the enemy competent and tough, tough enough to get the audience *worried*. To get some Idea....read back on the issues of _JLA_ starting with Grant Morrison's run, it's fairly recent. See how much grief the *White Martians* give the League, it's scary how early and often the League gets tooled on by these guys...point is....it should NOT be a team-versus-one scenario like the _X-Men_ films.

The League is an _Army_. It needs to get its tail *kicked by one*, to the point that people bleed, get their arms broken, nasty, scary stuff. Get the audience invested in the characters and then make them *worried* they won't make it out *alive*.

--Get a good ensemble going....granted, some of the cast is going to be *dictated* by the solo films (no getting rid of Routh now), but that doesn't mean the remainder of the League shouldn't be credible in character. If need be, *get* Tom Cruise to play Hal Jordan (creepy as it sounds, it *works* now). Find people who are both credible in an action-film sense and as ensemble actors.

--Finally....have the courage to tone down things and make them more realistic and serious. Don't make all the costumes, well, *costumes*....take a cue from the *successful* Batman films and make the League look like real people as much as is humanly possible. And remember, a *little* comic relief goes a long way. No BWA HA HA required....though having Conan O'Brian doing *Eel O'Brian* (Plastic Man) might be a bit of needed fun, don't overdo things.

--And then....fire up the *art style*. Watch _Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow_. Not just as a way to keep it cheap (by doing everything *but* the actors and their immediate contact props in CGI) but as a way to Keep things from being a total cartoon. People might take the suits and codenames a bit more seriously *if* the rest of their environment looks a bit (a *little bit* mind you) more appropriate.

--And remember: Keep it BIG. These are the *best* heroes the Earth has to offer and then some. They routinely save the world from lesser threats *by themselves*. So yeah, if some of the members get maimed or killed....so be it. Make it count. No continuity to worry about here, just make a big, wooly, scary thrill-ride of a movie that makes people realize just how *bad* things have to get for folks like *Superman* to ask for help.

Hope this helps....I could get more specific, but chances are folks wouldn't *like* my ideas then. ;)

Answer 2

Yeah, it would rock. Unfortunately, Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman wouldn't be in it (they got their own franchises). Green Lantern also deserves his own movie.
A JLA movie should include The Flash(Barry Allen), Green Arrow, Black Canary, Aquaman and the Martian Manhunter. It should be an origin story involving an alien invasion (of course) with Martian Manhunter coming to warn the worlds heroes and they uniting together to save the world blah, blah, blah........

Answer 3

Wonder Twins Power Go!!!!! Gleek!!!!!

Really....what good is Aquaman? How many times do you really need a whale to help with anything?

And if Superman Returns is any example of Superhero movies in the future....I'll stay home.

Answer 4

I know Green lantern is out for a 2009 release, Justice L. is soon after but firs you get to see Wonder Woman.

Answer 5

No kidding! Why don't they do this? And it would be a fun visual treat to see some lesser-known heroes walking around in the background, like they do in the Justice League cartoon.

Answer 6

Definitively

Answer 7

Isn't Superman part of the justice league? If so, why bother? All the other superheros are poor 2nds compared to Superman, simply because of all his abilities and invulnerabilities.

Answer 8

yea...thats what I've been saying...but who cares about filling the pockets of the warner brothers corp...

Answer 9

There was one in 1997, made for TV and it was terrbile.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118365/

Under no circumstances look for the DVD!

Answer 10

But live action, not animated